


A Night In

by Sincerely_Sierra



Category: American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, American Horror Story: Coven
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Happy 2020, New Years, Trauma, hinted ptsd, short and sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-04-21 09:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22059358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sincerely_Sierra/pseuds/Sincerely_Sierra
Summary: Madison doesn’t like the New Years fireworks, so Zoe tries to help her.
Relationships: Zoe Benson/Madison Montgomery
Comments: 4
Kudos: 86





	A Night In

**Author's Note:**

> My peak season is finally over! I hope you all had a very happy holiday season, and going into 2020, I wish you nothing but the very best. No matter what you do in 2020, I hope it’s special in all the right ways. Enjoy our favorite witches in real time. Happy New Year!
> 
> —Sincerely, Sierra

_Pop, pop, POP!_

Madison flinches, nervously biting into a leftover Christmas cookie that’s almost gone stale by now. For the last hour, she’s tried to pretend she can’t hear the sound of the fireworks sounding off one by one. She feared the sun setting tonight, because she was sure the entire neighborhood would soon be filled with smoke and sparkly colors—and the worst noise mankind has ever created: fireworks. 

Her palms begin to sweat around her glass of water as the pops outside become more frequent and consistent. Although she can hear the subsequent whizz that follows the sounds, which signifies a firecracker, she fears it could be something else; a gunshot, perhaps. 

When Zoe comes downstairs showing off a shiny silver 2020 headband, Madison smiles at her and careens her neck backwards as Zoe passes her up, but the taller woman doesn’t brush past her without leaning down to kiss her lips just once before moving to the fridge. 

“I thought we weren’t doing anything tonight,” Madison mumbles, almost frightened and disappointed. 

“We aren’t. Just being festive,” Zoe says while shaking a juice box. “The ball drops in New York in two hours.” 

Relieved, Madison sighs quietly, bringing the glass to her lips again. Her hand trembles. The shades have been drawn for the night, but the rainbow of colors shooting across the sky can still be seen through the fabric. Madison winces when a particularly loud bang sounds off and echoes against the windows. She tries to play it off as anything else—by pretending she bit her own lip, and Zoe buys the act for the moment, although her hairs stand on end.

“Where are Mallory and Coco?” Madison asks Zoe. 

“Upstairs on the balcony, watching the fireworks,” Zoe responds as she sits next to her girlfriend. “They’ve bundled themselves up in blankets and are relaxing with some hot chocolate. Mallory loves fireworks. . .Coco doesn’t understand it, but she’s just trying to make her happy.”

“And Queenie? Did she go to a New Years Eve party?” Madison asks, though she’s not too interested in the answer; she’s only trying to deflect her mind from the noises outside that cause a buildup of anxiety to form in her belly. Maybe, if she’s real still and breathes at a reasonable pace, the nausea will go away. 

“Yeah, she’ll be back late tonight. Cordelia is already in bed, and Misty. . .I think she might be outside lighting a sparkler or whatever.”

With nothing more being said, Madison leans against Zoe and buries her face in her chest. Confused, Zoe gently pets Madison’s head and toys with the strands of blonde hair, gingerly gliding them through her fingers from the base downwards so they flow freely between them like a rippling cascade of light caramel. 

“What’s the matter, hm?” Zoe asks Madison. “Did you want to do something tonight? We can light sparklers if you want. Or we can go out and watch the fireworks if that’s—“

“No!” Madison cries. 

Zoe abruptly pulls away from the smaller woman, furrowing her eyebrows. She sees the fear and worry laced through Madison’s features, and she pulls her closer again, cradling her on her chest.

"Okay, we don’t have to,” Zoe states over Madison’s head, somewhat befuddled. Her back goes taut, and she sits up just enough to allow Madison to retract, again, to look at her. “Madison, what’s wrong? You’ve been jumpy since the fireworks started.”

Madison shrugs and lays her head down against Zoe’s breast, using her hands to smooth over Zoe’s sides. Zoe uses one hand to fix her headband while the other holds Madison tightly, then she stabs the straw through her juice box and takes a sip. Madison rejects it when Zoe silently offers her a sip, and continues to run her hands over Zoe’s sides, stopping every once in awhile to trace a heart. 

A loud pop rings through the air and rattles the kitchen window. Madison screams and digs her fingernails into Zoe’s flesh, throwing her head deeper into the soft skin of her right breast. Zoe gasps and drops her juice box, flinching in pain. Instinctively, her hand holds Madison’s head and the other arm tightens around the blonde’s little waist. 

“Shh, hey, it’s okay,” Zoe murmurs after she sees the red and green explode across the sky and rain down into nothing. “It’s just the neighbors setting off fireworks. They can’t hurt us. They’re just fireworks. You’re alright, baby.”

“I hate them. I hate loud sounds. It makes me think of. . .” Madison trails off, swallowing back some tears she doesn’t want Zoe to see. 

“Think of what, hm?” Zoe coos, stroking along Madison’s hairline. 

“Nothing. I just. . .want to go to bed. Or do something so I don’t have to hear them,” Madison mumbles. “I’m sorry.” 

After picking up the juice box, Zoe stands up and tries to walk, but Madison refuses to let go of her. 

“Maddie, let go. We’re gonna go upstairs and do something to take your mind off it,” assures the taller witch. “Just let go for a minute.”

Hesitantly, Madison severs her grip and takes a step back, suddenly feeling cold and empty. 

“What are we doing?” 

Before Zoe can answer, another firework sounds off, and though it’s not as loud or echoey as the former, Madison jumps closer to her girlfriend. Sighing to herself, Zoe wraps an arm around Madison’s waist and helps her walk upstairs to their quiet bedroom, where she gently sits her down on the bed. 

While fidgeting nervously, Madison watches Zoe draw the curtains to a close, blocking out the bursts of color streaking across the sky. Then, the brunette removes her shoes and kneels before Madison. Madison allows Zoe to pull off her boots and put them aside. She doesn’t flinch or object when Zoe lifts her little black dress over her head and undoes her bra. Sitting almost nude in the chilly room, Madison shivers, until Zoe pulls a thick sweater over her head and slips her into some pajama pants. Zoe follows suit with stripping herself of everything but her fancy headband, and throwing on an old sweatshirt and sweatpants. 

When Zoe’s not mentioned what she has in mind for the final night of 2019, Madison questions, “What are we gonna do?”

“Have a night in,” replies Zoe, grabbing her MacBook. “Everybody goes out and celebrates for New Years, but we don’t have to. We can stay right here, snuggled up under the blankets, and watch whatever you want. 2020 will still come even if we stay in and do nothing.”

Zoe slips into the bed and raises the covers, and Madison scrambles in next to her, laying her head on her chest where her heart beats. 

“What are we gonna watch? I hope it’s not one of those stupid witch trial documentaries,” Madison says with a pout. “They’re so inaccurate and boring.”

Opening up Netflix on her MacBook, Zoe shakes her head. “No, we can watch whatever you like.”

Madison closes her eyes upon hearing a bang. Waiting patiently for her girlfriend to calm herself down, Zoe goes into Madison’s Netflix profile and scrolls to her list. Finally, Madison’s breathing steadies, and she opens her eyes. 

“Are you alright?” Zoe asks Madison, gently kissing her cheek. 

“I’ll be fine.”

“Just relax. I’m right here,” Zoe says soothingly, almost cooing at her. “Nobody’s going to hurt you.”

Despite shaking a little, Madison directs her attention to the screen and looks at her list. After contemplating her choices for a moment, she looks up at Zoe with a tired gaze. 

“Well? Did you choose?” Zoe asks. 

“I wanna watch _Coraline_,” says Madison.

Zoe swallows. God, she wishes it were anything else. It’s not even remotely a bad movie at all, but if there is one movie that terrifies Zoe to her very core and keeps her awake at night with her own haunting thoughts, it’s _Coraline_. But this isn’t about her, this is about taking Madison’s mind off whatever she’s feeling or thinking because of the fireworks. And so, Zoe clicks on the movie and snuggles up closer to the petite woman. 

The smile on Madison’s face throughout the movie is almost too sweet for Zoe to handle. Zoe wants to ask Madison why she’s so afraid of the noises, but it’s New Years Eve, and she doesn’t want a fight tonight. Maybe tomorrow, when the buzz and hangovers have worn off, and when the sun is up and the celebrations left nothing but firecracker wrappers and thick smoke. Maybe, just maybe, Zoe will understand, but for the moment, she’s perfectly content with laying here, with Madison wrapped comfortably in her embrace, and the ungodly animated scenes in the movie don’t bother her this time. 

“I love you,” Madison murmurs, half asleep, just when the Other Mother has Coraline in her vice. 

“I love you, too,” Zoe says, gently kissing around Madison’s face. “So much.”

They lay there for what feels like an eternity, and before they know it, the clock has struck midnight, and then chaos erupts outside; so much so that Zoe can see the bright colors whizzing and dissipating through the curtains and Madison jerks awake, almost knocking the laptop over. She whimpers into Zoe’s chest, and Zoe holds her tighter. 

“Shh, it’s okay. It’s 2020, Maddie,” Zoe tells her. “Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year,” Madison replies, craning her neck up to kiss her. “It wasn’t so bad.”

“Can you tell me why the fireworks scare you?” Zoe asks, biting her lip. 

Madison looks away. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

Nodding in understanding, Zoe kisses Madison’s nose, causing it to crinkle in such an adorable way that makes Zoe giggle. 

“Maybe you’ll tell me in 2021?” Zoe jokingly asks. 

Madison grins up at her. “Maybe. But don’t push your luck.”

Zoe kisses her again. 


End file.
